Last week was one of those weeks where seven days weren’t enough to get through all that had to be done. One of those weeks when I’m make a plan of action for the day at 5, and by 7 it would be all changed. I hate that. I hate that as much as I hate leaving voice mail. Yeah, that much.
It’s not like me be disorganised like that. I’m not that kind of spanner. No sir, I’m the kind of spanner who plans everything meticulously and beats himself up if he doesn’t produce the goods before the deadline. So why did I allow things go awry?
Well, money mainly. See, most of what needed doing last week was for myself or free gratis for others. But to survive a week of doing stuff for nothing you need money. Money puts beer on the counter, milk in the hotpress and fresh towels in the fridge - the latter two are usually a result of too much of the former. So when billable jobs came in, I went at them like a pig at a spud.
One of those was on the Monday. I spent an hour with a client making a list of maintenance work she wanted done. I ended the meeting with my standard two questions: When do you need this done by? Any item(s) on the list you would like done before then? Her answers were this day week and none. Fine.
Tuesday morning, she mailed me asking can we get that done today? Now my normal reply would be something along the lines of as sure as there is hair on your balls, girl, we can. But this time I agreed. Fresh towels in the fridge remember. So Tuesday was lost, but I had a cheque in my hand on Wednesday. I bought milk for the hotpress.
The free gratis work was mainly for a family member. Recently home after a long stay in Scrubs and now with a permanent feeding tube, there was much to be done in that house. Collecting and making space for a month’s supply of 2l plastic containers of food. Learning how to use new electronic gadgets. Disposing of utensils that could no longer be used. Organising medication in liquid form. Swabs to stop an unused mouth drying out. Creams to prevent unused lips chapping. More trips to the chemist than a methadone patient.
Walls chipped by the guys delivering the new equipment to be repaired and repainted. Furniture to be moved to make room for a new, and much larger, wheelchair. TVs to be remounted to suit the new furniture layout.
Other, seemingly minor, worries to be sorted. The Council have changed the refuse collection from weekly to fortnightly and the recycle one from monthly to fortnightly too. (Saving themselves 12 trips per year while telling the public of the improved service). But the empty food containers are not accepted by them for recycling so they have to go in the regular bin which will be filled in a week. Work out a way to get rid of the rest of the empties for me, will ya. (I intend delivering them in person to the County Council office foyer - I’ll let you know what happens. If I’m not jailed).
The whole week was a mess. I didn’t get half of my own stuff done. So on Friday I popped by to see my little buddies, Sean and Oisín, for some chill out time. They always cheer me up. Mam and Dad wanted to pop out for a while - would I mind staying with the lads? No problem. Just back from a short holiday they needed to do some food shopping. Don’t forget milk for the hotpress, I warned.
After a big feed of sticky goo, a dribble of puke and a satisfying belch, Oisín nodded off on his mat, dreaming of boobs or whatever it is babies dream of. Seán, exhausted from protecting me from swipers (?) with a light-sabre, drifted off on the couch, probably dreaming of his new hobby, digging up worms.
I booted up Mam’s laptop to see what I’d been missing in blogland. I read Eolaí’s post about his son. I looked over at the two sleeping terrors. A shiver ran down my spine at the thoughts of being denied access to them. They aren’t my kids but it would break my heart not to be able to see them again. I can only imagine what it would be like if they were mine. I can only imagine what Eolaí’s going through.
Putting things in perspective, I had a great week in comparison. Last week’s to-do list is now this week’s to-do list, but so what. If things go well, I’ll get something done. There may even be beer on the counter come Friday. Whether there is or not, I can always drop by to get intoxicated by the antics of my two little buddies. Eolaí has had sobriety forced upon him.
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Jeez I’m exhausted just reading about your week. fair play to ya.
Are you ready to blush?
You are my kinda friend!
Conorín ~ Not that bad really. I have an advantage in that I don’t do the weekend thing - it gives me two extra days.
Grannymar ~ I am blushing. Blushing like schoolchild who has just called the teacher Mammy.
con stole my line !!!!!!!!!!
You’re a good man to help your family member out like that, Sneezy, especially if it means you’re out of pocket. His suffering sounds severe but he’s lucky to have you. You’re right, there’s a million and one unexpected things that crop up when you’re caring for an invalid - little practical things that you’d not necessarily think of. It’d be so much better if the council weren’t making stuff harder for you with the rubbish. The only thing I can suggest is getting another bin, maybe? I don’t know if they give extra ones out but seeing your service has been cut , it might be worth a try.
Sean’s swiper might have been from Dora. There’s a “swiper” in that, I think.
Steady as she goes and you’ll get your work done, Toots. And that’s a whole lot of lovely karma you’re building up with your friends too!
Primal, can I just say that you are a very special fellow, and anyone who knows you well is a lucky, lucky person.
You are so welcome round mine anytime for tea and a Cadbury’s chocolate finger to get some time, and I have my own little home grown darth vadar who’d be happy to swipe away ’swipers’ for you anytime with his light-saber. X
Flirty ~ Well that’s just not good enough, is it? If someone did that in Moscow they’d be chucked in the Liffey.
Sam ~ An extra bin is possible … €185 per year plus €8 per collection. Fcuk that!
Geeze, yeah, Dora - that’s the Swiper bit. Should have known. Then again, I’m more of a Pooh Bear man myself - Super Sleuth variety that is.
A karma? A karma? Now what is that? Let me think, think, think. I know! It’s a chameleon!
White girl ~ Right so. On my way. Just one finger though? I’d eat a whole hand.
Primal - No worries there, we can do fingers in hands!
I’ll make sure I’ve got a full box in!
I spoke to kildare county council this morning to ask when they surveyed their customers (namely me) to ask if I wanted my general waste collection service halved. Answer: THEY DIDN’T.
Can you imagine missing a collection day and being left with a months general waste during the summer months… now just where are we suppose to keep this. I for one will be changing my service provider.
White girl ~ Deffo on my way now.
Mary ~ And yet their website reads as follows: You asked us to change and we’re doing it.
I suspect the change most of us wanted was solely for a more frequent recycle bin collection.
Yes, agreed. I’ll be calling the company down the road today to ask about their private service. The following phone call will be to try get a refund from Kildare CC - that may prove difficult.
“One of those weeks when I’m make a plan of action for the day at 5, and by 7 it would be all changed”
Sneezy, I think you’re the only person I know who could say that and be meaning the am rather than the pm. By 7 I’m just about stirring into wakefulness but 5am! Madness!!
Hi Primal,
Sounds like a mad week and a bit of complaining but it really gives an insight into the kind and caring family man you are. But don’t worry I won’t tell anyone who don’t already know you!
I was meaning to ask but I haven’t been around, how is the school work going? I am heading back to Oz and will pick up from where I “dropped” it when I came to Ireland.
Cheers,
G
Sam ~ 5am is a late start. My two main
victimsclients’ days begin by 6 (by the nature of their businesses), so it is not uncommon to get calls/mail before 7. I know loads of folks who get up at 8 or 9, even in summer, and I can’t understand why they’d waste so much of the day. That said, by early evening, I’m shattered.Gayé ~ I noticed you were heading off once more. Best of luck. I still haven’t commented on the to/not to continue blogging question, because I don’t know. Anyway, school is finished and I’m just waiting on the thesis to be graded. June maybe.
Thanks I think I am just a nomad perhaps!
I found a great use for my blog, I go to it so I can click on the links I have there for the blogs I like to read! Isn’t it great?